1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a window treatment and more particularly to a panelless shutter.
2. State of the Art
There are several types of window treatments available, most of which require some form of measuring the dimensions of a particular window and seeking a window treatment that fits the window. Windows are generally of common dimensions, with variations in those dimensions or a window that is out-of-square, for reasons such as construction error or settling of the house foundation. These slight variations are of particular concern when installing shutters, shutter blinds or like window treatments. When shutters are installed onto windows, a precise measurement must be made in order to best fit the shutter to the window. The shutters are then made to the precise measurements and installed.
In order to avoid having to make such precise measurements and the related costs, the use of a face mount frame was introduced. This enabled the variations of the window size to be accounted for and corrected by first installing a window frame that would result in the proper size of frame for the shutters to be installed, allowing the shutters to be installed onto the face mount frame. The shutters were installed without the need of precise measurements to account for the small inconsistencies in window opening dimensions.
Conventional frames are able to house conventional shutters that include panels for retaining louvers and a louver bar for rotating the louvers into an open position. Hinges are used to connect the shutter panel to the frame to provide egress or access to the window. Traditional shutter panels reduce the viewable area of the window when the louvers are rotated, reducing the amount of natural light that may enter or restricting the view out of a scenic window.
Additionally, conventional shutters employ what is commonly referred to as panels that are hingedly coupled to a frame. There are four panels that surround the louvers of the shutters, the panels forming a type of door-like structure. The louvers are rotated by use of a louver bar coupled to the outside of the louvers, the louver bar allowing a user to grasp the louver bar and move it vertically to change the angle the of the louvers in order to provide various points of opening of the louvers. For egress, the panels are hinged on one side and a user can rotate the panels away from the window for reasons that require access to the window.
These conventional shutters have limitations. The panels are required to retain the louvers and to provide egress to the window. Further, the installation of conventional shutters is a task that requires professional installation, particularly since the dimensions of windows are not exact, making it difficult to self install shutters. The installation requires pre-measurement of all dimensions of windows to be treated and then custom manufacture of the shutters for the windows. This increases the cost of manufacture dramatically and further increases the time it take to install the shutters.
Accordingly, there is a need in the window treatment field for a panelless shutter.